


Strange And Unreal

by QueenOfNewOrleans22



Category: Guns N' Roses
Genre: First Meetings, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Insecurity, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-17 12:41:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28725252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfNewOrleans22/pseuds/QueenOfNewOrleans22
Summary: With one hand wrapped around his drink and the other wrapped around Steven's upper bicep to pull him along through the crowd of people, Slash looked happy, grinning widely through his curtain of hair. Steven liked that smile, but it also enticed him, interested him, even as he was pulled along like a doll.
Relationships: Steven Adler/Izzy Stradlin
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13





	Strange And Unreal

With one hand wrapped around his drink and the other wrapped around Steven's upper bicep to pull him along through the crowd of people, Slash looked happy, grinning widely through his curtain of hair. Steven liked that smile, but it also enticed him, interested him, even as he was pulled along like a doll. 

"Where are we going?" Steven asked, flashing an apologetic smile over his shoulder as he accidentally hit another partygoer. He stumbled over his sneakers from the haste. Steven hadn't drunken enough alcohol to give him anything more than a light buzz. 

Slash didn't pause, even though the crowd of people seemed so overwhelming to him as they pushed on. He seemed oddly determined, and Steven wondered if he had a surprise at the other side of the room. It better be good, because Steven, in his haste, had left behind a nice line. "Just to meet some friends." Slash replied. 

They were at some party hosted by their friend, Duff, invited only because they were friends and not actually part of the cool inner circle of people that Duff hung out with. Steven had been looking foward to just getting high and forgetting the fact that he was actually unpopular, but now Slash had a remarkably tight grip on his arm and was pulling him along. 

"What friends?" Steven asked, and then he smiled. "Cute friends?" 

"Maybe." Slash replied, in a more mysterious tone of voice. "Hey, Duff!" 

From a throng of people, Duff spread his arms wide, all wild blonde hair and a faint spark in his dark eyes. "Hey, man. Stevie, I haven't seen you in forever." He tossed one of his arms around Steven's shoulder, and then his other arm went around Slash's, keeping both of them in his grasp as he pulled them across the room for more walking. 

Steven tried to shrug but Duff's arm was remarkably heavy. "I've been really busy with all sorts of shit." He replied. 

"Well, I hope you're not too busy for - " Duff broke off suddenly. "Axl, man, I've got to introduce you to my friends here." He said loudly. 

They were at a more secluded corner, where there were few people and less noise to be seen nor heard. Steven looked away from Duff to see that he was facing two unfamiliar men, one of whom was a square-jawed redhead, and the other a paler man with dark hair. 

Time slowed sown remarkably, and Steven felt like he was rooted to the ground, struck dumb by the sight. The pale man was striking, in a strange way that seemed almost uncanny. He was tall, slender, with an expression of both disinterest and irritation on his face. 

Duff moved away. "This is Axl." He gestured to the redhead, who turned to look at them fully. "And this is Izzy." Duff smiled a little. "He likes to pretend that he doesn't care." 

"I really don't." Izzy muttered. 

With a laugh, Duff clapped his hand onto Slash's back. "Hey, Slasher. Wanna come smoke with me? My roommate threw a fuckin' fit when he saw the dope I have, man, I swear." 

Slash snorted, amused. "Sure. I'll be back, Stevie!"

But Steven, in his daze, only vaguely raised his hand in parting as Axl departed with a muttered explanation of needing to use the bathroom, shoving his way through the crowd as easily as anything, although in a somewhat violent and rushed manner. 

Steven didn't watch him go, too caught in his current task until he was drawn out of it by fingers snapping in front of his face - and quite loudly, too. He blinked, startled, stepping back when he noticed two very angry, oddly colored eyes staring at him through a fringe of black hair. 

"What are you staring at me for?" Izzy said in a tone that implied he expected a teasing answer. His pale face looked harsh, but there was a color high on his cheeks. 

"Oh." Steven didn't feel embarrassed, although he did feel a little remorseful for looking like a creep. "Sorry, I was just - " He motioned vaguely. 

Izzy frowned. "What?" 

"It's just, y'know, you're really cute." Steven paused, and then he shook his head at himself. 'Cute' was what you called other kids at the playground. 'Cute' was what you called a puppy. 'Cute' wasn't the right term for Izzy. He wasn't quite handsome, either, although the term could apply, if given the benefit of the doubt.

It took a long moment for Steven to also rule out terms such as 'pretty', 'gorgeous' and a whole lot of other terms, because none of them fit Izzy. He looked borderline ethereal, like a strange creature in human form. But Steven was socially aware enough to know that such words wouldn't be well accepted, so he went for another word. 

"You're beautiful." Steven said, feeling like an awestruck teenager. 

Izzy's face turned red. "I think you're blind." He glanced over his shoulder, as if hoping to see Axl, but there was nobody. 

"Hey, c'mon. I really do. There's just something so - I don't know what the word is." Steven shrugged. "You're beautiful. That's the only word for it." He smiled. 

"Oh." Izzy looked awkward. 

"What, nobody has ever called you that before?" Steven sidled foward, eyebrows raised. 

"No." Izzy muttered, shuffling his feet, as if he wanted to move but couldn't quite bring himself to. "They usually are too focused on Axl." The slightest hint of sadness and betrayal creeped into his quiet voice. 

"Well, I'm too focused on you." Steven smiled, and then he stuck out his hand. "I'm Steven Adler." He said, hand hovering in the air. 

It took a moment, but Izzy smiled, and reached out to tentatively touch Steven's hand. He felt cold. "Izzy Stradlin." He said. "Do you wanna - I dunno, go take a walk or somethin'?"

Steven's smile morphed into a grin. "Yeah!" 


End file.
